South Korean marriages fell to a brand new report low final 12 months, auguring an additional downshift within the nation’s dismal fertility charge.
Korea’s crude marriage charge — the variety of marriages per 1,000 folks — slid to three.7 from 3.8 in 2021, based on knowledge launched Thursday by the nationwide statistics workplace. About 191,700 marriages came about in 2022, down 0.4% from a 12 months earlier.
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The elevated reluctance amongst Koreans to marry is a warning signal that the world’s lowest fertility charge could fall even additional. Matrimony and fertility are intently related in Korea, the place births outdoors marriage stay uncommon.
Low fertility threatens to undermine Korea’s productiveness by shrinking its workforce and slowing consumption. The federal government has launched a slew of measures to encourage extra births in an effort to reverse the pattern, together with a tripling of month-to-month allowances for folks by President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took workplace final 12 months.
A wide range of elements are blamed for Koreans’ reluctance to tie the knot, starting from the excessive prices of housing to the difficulties of elevating a baby. Growing gender tensions are one more reason frequently highlighted.